METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDED GENERIC MESSAGING IN A NETWORKED GEOLOCATION SYSTEM

• US 20110207469A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hinds, Mark, Koh, Jason, Dixit, Jignesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Generic messaging and protocols are provided for handset-to-handset communications in accordance with, for example, the Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) protocol. A mobile device initiates a geolocation-related session with a second mobile device by sending a message, including a payload, to a server (e.g., an H-SLP server) over a network. A data connection is the established between the second mobile device and the server in response to the message. A message, including the payload, is then sent to the second mobile device. The payload may include geolocation (e.g., GPS) information, such that two mobile devices may collaboratively share information regarding the other'"'"'s geographical location.

Claims

1. A method for providing a geolocation-related pipeline over a network between a first mobile device, a second mobile device, and a server, the method comprising:

initiating, via the first mobile device, the geolocation-related pipeline by establishing a first data connection between the first mobile device and the server, and sending a first message to the server, wherein the first message includes a payload and a specified duration;

establishing a second data connection between the second mobile device and the server in response to the first message;

sending a second message from the server to the second mobile device via the second data connection, wherein the second message includes the payload, and

selectably maintaining both the first and second data connections to form the geolocation-related data pipeline for the specified duration between the first mobile device and the second mobile device via the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the server and the first and second mobile devices are configured to communicate in accordance with an OMA Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) protocol;

the server is a SUPL Location Platform (SLP);

the first mobile device is a SUPL enabled terminal (SET); and

the second mobile device is a SET.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the payload is carried by a data delivery message comprising a SUPL message for geolocation data delivery.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data delivery message incorporates an identification of both a sending mobile device and a recipient mobile device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the server is configured to open a data connection with the first and second mobile devices via SUPL messages comprising a SLP-to-SET data connection message and a SET-to-SLP data connection acknowledgement message.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the duration parameter corresponds to either a number indicative of a desired timeframe or a value indicative of a persistent session.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein, for the duration of the geolocation-related pipeline'"'"'s operation, each mobile device is configured to send a plurality of the payloads over the geolocation-related pipeline to the other mobile device via the server.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the geolocation-related data pipeline, via the payloads of a plurality of data delivery messages, implements ad-hoc functional extensions to the SUPL protocol.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the geolocation-related data pipeline, via the payloads of a plurality of data delivery messages, is configured to implement a SET-to-SET software protocol that is not part of the SUPL protocol.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;

a display communicatively coupled to the processor;

at least one user input device communicatively coupled to the processor; and

a transceiver communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to establish a geolocation-related pipeline with a remotely located server and a second mobile device over a network;

wherein the processor is configured to;

initiate the geolocation-related pipeline by sending a first message to the server over a network, wherein the first message includes a payload and a specified duration; and

maintain the geolocation-related pipeline for the specified duration;

wherein the mobile device is a SUPL enabled terminal (SET) configured to communicate in accordance with an OMA Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) protocol.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the payload is carried by a data delivery message comprising a SUPL message intended for geolocation data delivery.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the data delivery message incorporates an identification of both a sending and a recipient mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is configured to open a data connection with the server via SUPL messages comprising a SLP-to-SET data connection message, and a SET-to-SLP data connection acknowledgement message.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the duration parameter corresponds to either a number indicative of a desired timeframe or a value indicative of a persistent session.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein, for the duration of the geolocation-related pipeline'"'"'s operation, the first mobile device is configured to send a succession of payloads over the geolocation-related pipeline to the second mobile device via the server.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the geolocation-related data pipeline, via the payloads of a series of the data delivery messages, implements ad-hoc functional extensions to the SUPL protocol.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the geolocation-related data pipeline, via the payloads of a series of the data delivery messages, is configured to implement a SET-to-SET software protocol that is not part of the SUPL protocol.

18. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the user input device and display are configured to allow a user to initiate the geolocation-related pipeline.

19. A secure user plane (SUPL) geo-locationing data communication system comprising:

a network;

a first SUPL enabled terminal (SET) configured to communicate over the network;

a second SET configured to communicate over the network;

a Secure Location Platform (SLP) server;

wherein the first mobile device is configured to initiate a geolocation-related pipeline by establishing a first data connection with the SLP and sending a first message to the SLP, wherein the first message includes a payload and a duration;

wherein the SLP is configured to establish a second data connection with the second mobile device in response to the first message and send a second message from the to the second mobile device via the second data connection, wherein the second message includes the payload, and

wherein the SLP, first SET, and second SET are configured to maintain the first and second data connections to establish the geolocation-related data pipeline for the duration between the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the payload is carried by a data delivery message comprising a SUPL message intended for geolocation data delivery; and

the data delivery message incorporates an identification of both a sending SET and a recipient SET.